The proteinmaxxing trend has gone too far.
Loading up on mountains of shakes, beef sticks, and chicken breasts could be making it harder to burn fat, according to a doctor who specializes in weight loss.
Protein is an essential nutrient (alongside carbohydrates and fats), and it's crucial for regulating metabolism, as well as building and repairing tissue like muscle.
But too much protein has become a diet fad that can make it harder to lose weight and distracts from nutrient-dense whole foods, said Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb, who works in concierge medicine. Her practice is dedicated to helping high-achievers like CEOs and attorneys manage their weight.
"The protein craze is totally out of control." Garcia-Webb told Business Insider. "I definitely want people to have protein, but I think the quality of their protein really matters."
The ultra-processed food industry is making bank on our hunger for protein by adding it to chips, pastries, and bars, but these products don't offer much in the way of real nutrition.
To make matters worse, many people are getting more protein than they need because of a common mistake in calculating the optimal amount, she said. The protein overload can lead to excess calories that make weight loss more difficult in the long run.
A few basic guidelines can help you understand your unique protein needs.
How to eat enough protein for weight loss
A simple equation can help you understand how much protein to aim for each day, based on your goals.
Garcia-Webb said that for weight loss, a good range for daily protein intake is between 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of your ideal body weight (not counting the body fat you're trying to lose). That's about 0.5 to 0.7 grams per pound per day.
That means if you're overweight and trying to shed pounds, you'll want to assess your protein intake based on your goal weight, not your current weight.
For example, consider a 200-pound person trying to reach a goal weight of 150 pounds. Per Garcia-Webb's recommendation, their protein goal would be 90 grams of protein per day (in the middle of the range for their goal weight).
But running the equation with their current weight — a common mistake — doesn't account for added body fat, leading to a goal of 120 grams per day.
The additional protein amounts to more than 100 extra calories. That may not sound like a lot, but it adds up, crowding out more energizing foods or key nutrients like fiber.
"People feel like they need to get all that protein or something terrible is going to happen," she said. "They're focusing on that one 'magic' ingredient. Where are the vegetables?"
Make healthy eating sustainable
If you're going to set a protein goal, making it more accurate and reasonable can help you balance your diet, Garcia-Webb said.
But she'd rather you didn't get hung up on a single number at all.
"We're really relying on these external metrics of 'I should have X many grams of protein' as opposed to 'actually I had half of that, and I was full,'" she said. "We are just not used to listening to our body."
While protein can help manage appetite by making you feel fuller after eating, context matters. A processed, dessert-flavored protein bar tastes great, but may leave you wanting to eat more than a simple snack or home-cooked meal.
Instead, aim to eat plenty of foods high in fiber (such as beans, whole grains, and veggies) that fill you up and provide lots of nutrients with fewer calories per serving. Other crucial habits for managing appetite include managing your stress, which can spark cravings, and getting enough rest. Research shows that a good night's sleep can help you eat less, since your body isn't scrambling for energy.
To lose weight and keep it off long-term, tune into your body's natural cues and focus on your overall lifestyle instead of a quick fix, Garcia-Webb said.
"I think people forget that it's just doing boring things over and over and over again." she said. "Everything that we do to improve our health, whether it's lifestyle changes or medication, it really has to be done with the lens of you're doing this forever and that the only real magic pill is consistency."
